It was early in the morning, probably about 8AM or so. Akatsuki was standing close to a very large ramshackle house in the middle of the countryside outside Tokyo. Why was he here? It was a long story to say the least, highly classified too. Supernaturally so.

The ageless solider from Team Starmage had developed a bond with Cesba Esmeralda, a woman who aided the group in their previous mission. She didn't have it easy, being put into what was essentially a witness protection program with the key to her race's survival. Sho had been there for her and he had developed a sort of romantic relationship with the spider woman, he wouldn't lie but he enjoyed so much about her. Cesba could cook, beat people up and was able to handle herself.

However danger reared its ugly head, near Cesba's home a nest of vampires had shacked up. And not just any, it was a pack of Sabbat. Sabbat had one mindset, we're vampires and we're superior. Carlson had tried diplomacy with them, but it pretty much failed as he expected. Though it had been worth a try.

So the time came to eliminate them, they were too close to Cesba's place. Too close to uncovering a vital secret, the Sabbat's opposite the Camarilla enforced the masquerade. Here though Team Starmage was going to enforce their own.

"Carlson-sama, this is Akatsuki. Cesba-chan and I are in position, is everyone in place?" Sho muttered in his earpiece, Cesba was right beside him on this one. No doubt taking the vampires near her place as a personal affront, the plan was simple. Get in and take them out, honour was out the window. Sho and Cesba were going to storm the place during the morning when they'd be sleeping, vampires were loath to rise during the day even when present with danger.

There were no wards present, there were no Tremere in the Sabbat after the incident in New Mexico in the 90's. So blood magic was out, if anything the bloodsuckers present were probably Brujah and Gangrel with maybe a Nosferatu. Sho had spent time with Ms Esmeralda regarding all the various monsters that went bump in the night, not just vampires but also werewolves and youkai among other things.

"Affirmative Sho. Lunar is providing sniper support for you and Light is going to level the back of the building on your command, then you and Cesba can burst in and clean house." Carlson spoke out, Cesba being a part of this mission had an earpiece of her own to listen in.

"Roger Carlson-sama. Cesba remember what we discussed, wooden stakes paralyse the vampire. Sunlight will kill them as well as extensive trauma. Light are you ready?" Sho muttered.

Cesba hated pests. Every kind that invaded her home. From bugs to bats and rats. She didnt really wrap her head around the stories of other monsters Sho told her about. Especially these ones. But they threaten her nearby home, and the egg of her Queen, which was tied to every one of her race. If the egg went then so did the race.

And as an impromptu guardian for the egg, she had to keep it safe.

She kept quiet for most of the brief as a voice comes from a strange device in her ear that Sho had given her. "If all goes well, I will cook a fanciful feast for you all."

The loud blast of the wrecking machine Light Killer destroying a wall made her flinch. She was not acclimated to combat, such like her companions. Sprouting from her back were her four extra spider arms. She charges in and starts to fling about webs from her palms, trying to contain enemies for Sho to stab and kill. She walks on the four spider arms, her body up in the air for protection.

Sho would admit vampires were always opponents that he didn't like to fight, not because of any morals. Aside from them resembling a parasitic monster that was simply a shade of what they once were, no it was what they could do. The various powers or disciplines that they had meant they could do all sorts, Sho was surprised that the Kuei Jin hadn't tracked these Gaijins down and delivered final death to them.

Vampires could have the strength of ten men, move so fast that they could have pseudo super speed. Control people and bend their wills to them, but Sho was nothing if not a master of combat. He gave Cesba a lot of advice for this upcoming fight and a couple of tests as well, her strength and powers would be useful in this sneak attack. Light promptly tore up the place behind, and in a split second Sho had kicked the door down in it's weak point. It practically flew off the hinges and Cesba used her spider skills to very good use.

There had been two vampires in the room, one likely a Toreador based off his lavish clothes. Sabbat Toreador's were hedonists surpassed only by the followers of set clan. He'd been webbed and the next thing he knew Sho had flung a stake right at him practically pinning him to his chair, in a fluid motion the solider drew a wakisashi blade and sliced his head off. With a pained cry he turned to dust.

The other was a Gangrel, using his protean power exclusive to his clan he formed claws akin to a beast and aimed to lunge right at the lifted Cesba! Sho however was already on it, he readied his blitzmotor. Channelling it through his gloves and into the blade he held. Sho would throw it, the blade crackled with electricity and sliced right into the vampire's midriff. Electricity and fire inflicted major wounds, but Sho knew clan Gangrel possessed Fortitude. One of their kind had ran the length of a football field under the sun once.

So Sho quickly lept on him, charging his electricity to fry the wounded kindred into a dusted husk. The solider stood up and swept his hands over his uniform, the seemingly young man had scanned the room. It didn't seem like any others were present.

"Sho-san, Cesba-san I must inform you. I'm detecting life signs below you, vampires have no pulse so they must have someone imprisoned in this place." Lunar's polite voice stated.

"Understood, Sho find a way down there and rescue them. Let's hope they're okay. I'll take Chon and Amy and clear out the rest of the location." Carlson said.

"Roger. Cesba-chan there must be a trapdoor here or some way of concealing an entrance, let's check." Sho picked up his sword and started looking around, it could be under a carpet or chair or at the fireplace. It wouldn't be too elaborate though considering the state of this place.

Such a warrior Sho was. Cesba was different. More on the defensive than anything. Anyone that came near her felt a face of webs. She just wanted the peasts away from the egg and her home. Her life very well depended on it. Although, she did rely on Carlson and his gang a bit more than she really needed or wanted.

As it see me see me last of the vampires were gone from this earthly realm, more voices came from the device. Informing Cesba and Sho that there were kid forces under them. Under instructions to figure out a way down, Cesba went to work searching for a way.

"Prisoners...Reminds me of a cat I met a while ago. She had a rough past as a prisoner. And it's hard to adjust...Let's hope they are not hostile." She walks on her spiderblegs towards a bookcase. One of the arms reaches in front of the shelf, feeling a draft coming from the books.

Sho was no stranger to combating Kindred, you had to make sure they stayed down. Fortunately most didn't know combat like Sho did, his powers were so unlike what they had save for maybe Gangrel elders. Still they could be far more powerful the older they got, which was why his group took the options they did. Kindred were loath to rise even during the day, and the more monster they were the harder it was for them to stay awake.

Still they kept their secrets, Sabbat usually weren't smart enough to keep things well hidden. Well their grunts anyway, they were roid heads through and through. It was the ones that survived past that you had to watch out for, because they learned how to control the ones below them. Sho wiped the dust off his blade and sheathed it, he shifted the nearby chair to see if a trapdoor was under it. No dice, still Sho always learned to look under them. Cesba remarked on the time she had a prisoner, Akatsuki often got webbed up by her and pinned to the bed. Though he always got out thanks to his Kage Yurei phasing power.

Suddenly though Cesba had called Sho over, he walked over to the bookcase and felt the draft. On it he could swear he smelled blood behind it, Sho nodded to the spider woman and said "Nice work Cesba-chan. Carlson-sama we've found a way downstairs, the old bookcase covering the entrance trick." the officer said as he grabbed a book and threw it to the side.

"Excellent, hold on. Me and Chon are coming in." Carlson said, a minute later the man came in alongside the blind vengeance.

"Well there's people that need saving, I'll take point." Carlson said as he drew his katana and slashed the musty bookcase in half before walking down, Chon followed and Sho would with Cesba behind him. The copper smell of blood reaching the nostrils of all involved as they approached the basement area......

Cesba did not really want to go down there. She felt like she had already done what was necessary of her. But at the same time she didnt want to leave someone down there if they were in trouble. And if there were any other pests down there then they needed to also be taken care of.

Her spider arms retract, and she starts to follow the others down the hallway. She stays close to Sho. Cesba didn't know Ryan or Chon enough to know they could protect her. "What is it you sense? Can you tell me any more information? " She knew little of his senses but hoped he could tell more.

Akatsuki knew what blood meant to Kindred, it was life. It sustained them, let them use their supernatural powers. He also knew where it came from, he was worried about what might be encountered down below. Even with Chon, Carlson and Cesba here they could be going in and encountering a methuselah. They wouldn't last 30 seconds against a being that old and powerful, still he remembered that the Sabbat packs were usually fresh with a bishop in charge. Older than the rest but not to the ranks of the truly aged, such positions were rarely held for long either due to their Darwin style of society.

Eventually the group would hear a loud scream, which only made Sho and co run in further. They'd arrive at what looked to be a scientist's laboratory, but the most notable thing was the walls. Tan colour, the colour of human skin. On close examination the walls actually pulsed and moved, like it was alive. The smell of blood and murder was all over the place, in the far end of the room however was a woman. No older than 18 or 19 being suspended on the wall with steel chains around her wrists and legs, she had red hair in what seemed to be an Asian sort of style. The thing next to her though, was.....hard to describe.

The being was about 6 foot tall, with blonde hair. Hair that seemed to be a perfect length, an inch below the neck. Covered from the neck down in a red regal robe, everything about this person however was just....off.

It laughed, sounding clearly polite and well mannered. Again something was off.

Sho leaned into Cesba and muttered "That thing is a Tizimce Cesba, they have the ability to mould their own and others flesh and bone like clay. Whatever happens don't let him near you."

The being then stated "Why yes, you merely killed a body double. One that I had crafted to look almost like that of myself, but enough to fool you kine. I must admit, travelling to Japan was difficult. Considering the Kuei-Jin, those damnable fools. No matter, I have my prize, your precious Cesba Esmeralda. I wonder what delightful secrets she keeps in that doll like body of hers." lifting a hand to gently stroke the captured prize.

Carlson frowned, Cesba was behind him. Then who was that woman?

"Well immortal or not! We'll just keep killing you until your dead!" Carlson said cracking his neck afterwards.

The Tizimice snarled, flinging the robe off to reveal under it. A perfect stich down the chest, with what seemed to be tiny mouths that muttered incomprehensible things. "INTRUDERS! ALL OF YOU SHALL PERISH!" he shouted before marching forwards. Sho would instantly go first, shooting out lighting with his blitzmotor while Carlson and Chon made to approach from the left and right as their opening gambit,

Cesba heard nothing after they stepped into the room. The banter back and forth between Ryan and Sho and the Tizi-whatever. She had a strange feeling. It almost felt like what she though Chon's senses were. But these feelings were different still. Not the same feeling she gets when Sho lovingly tells the spider to wrap him in her webs (Which she still didn't understand the purpose of). No...This was a sense of knowing who that was chained up.

She thought she head the enemy say it was her. But that was simply impossible. Though Cesba actually believed him more than any of the other allies would. She wan't going to tell him though. But the overwhelming sense of...of...Cesba's eyes widen in realization. The smell of the other woman overpowers the smell of blood and death in the room. How could she mistake that smell?! Another Arachniom!

Cesba lets out an amazingly loud hiss, instincts kicking in and she blindly ran towards the monster/man before them, clearly not heeding the warning that she didn't even hear to begin with. She wanted to simply shove Sho to the side and even push past Calrson and Chon. Never had she acted like her race before, but the smells of blood and flesh overwhelmed and fought with the smell of another Arachniom. She just couldn't help but revert back to a more primal stage of attack.

Sho knew in the heat of battle anything could change, which was why even when he wasn't on a mission he usually kept a gun or sword in close proximity to him just in case. Chon was similar, the blind man knew that no less than 5 rogue witch families wanted him dead for murdering their members. Carlson the same, mostly because he lacked the superhuman or supernatural abilities his fellows had. This allowed them to handle any opponent. Because they prepared for every situation, such as for when a member of the team went berserk against their opponent. Cesba was making them think of Light, if only he was there at the moment.

"Everyone! Our position! Tizimice! Now!" Carlson shouted in his earpiece knowing that his team would get the hint. He promptly ran into the left and fired an energy slash from Azura at the Kindred, who simply lifted his arms to block. His arms would be turned to shreds, however they seemingly knitted back together. Likely the Kindred's art of fleshcrafting at work. Regardless that'd wear it down eventually.

Sho meanwhile cursed under his teeth before promptly digging into his pockets and pulling out several bullets which were placed between the knuckles. The man then rushed near and channelled his blitzmotor into the bullets, which crackled with energy before blasting right at the Tizimice with the force of a mini railgun. The being howled and was sent flying back, flesh literally being blasted off with the power of Sho's knuckle bullets.

Chon meanwhile knew that he needed to keep his distance, if this being grabbed him even once Chon's body could be morphed for good. Nevertheless over time he learned that his chi energy could prove to be the anathema to the Kindred. The blind man spun his hook swords around and linking them together, digging the dagger end of one into the Tizmice's gut.

The fiend had made one fatal flaw, it was close to daylight. When Kindred neared that time they tended to become very lethargic, even thought the Tizimice had likely removed the eyelids to help stop this it would only work for so long. Needless to say the group was right in picking this chance. If Cesba was still rushing at the monster with it's injuries.....

"Cesba! His heart! Stake his heart with your spider arms!" Sho shouted, she had to hear him. Her arms would be sharp enough to stab right into the Kindred's heart and put him into torpor!

Silence. Cesba couldn't hear anything. Not what her allies said, not what the enemy said...Not even her own thoughts. She was blinded mentally, emotionally and visually in a metaphorical way. She only felt the urge; the need to save whoever that was. The smell was so familiar of Arachniom. But, it was not exact. There was something wrong with the way this one smelled. Was it because she had been away from HomeForest for so long that the world was having an affect? No...That couldn't be able to mask the smell.

Suddenly, a new powerful smell came about. The fresh wounds of the enemy as he was cut into. And suddenly, sound came back and came alive. Cesba just barely hears a yell. A command. An idea. Cesba stopped almost completely, and thrusts one arm forward, point first, into the monster's chest with all of the force that she could.